


Beast Wars - Altered Destiny

by Fire_Drifter



Category: Transformers Generation One, Transformers: Beast Wars
Genre: Alcohol, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Energon Cocktails, Established Relationship, F/M, M/M, Out of Character, Renamed Beast Wars Megatron, new identities
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:08:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24888886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fire_Drifter/pseuds/Fire_Drifter
Summary: (Divergence beginning from "Other Voices" Finale of Season 1) After the Maximals and Predacons are rounded up by the Vok, their long-term memory related to the Beast Wars is wiped violently and they are put in stasis until they are discovered and awakened in the year 2005:  by Archaeologist Doctor Andrew Sairus, and his parter: Professor Matthias Faulton. The two humans do their best to help both factions through prosperity and tragedy as they discover themselves again, and turn over new leafs as they struggle to stay out of the modern-day Autobot and Decepticon war.
Relationships: Blackarachnia/Silverbolt, Dinobot/Rattrap, Megatron (Beast Wars) & OC, Optimus Primal & OC
Kudos: 4





	1. The Night Everything Changed

**_Chapter 1: The night everything changed_ **

****

**_Proffesor Matthias “Matt” Faulton and Doctor Andrew Sairus’s residence, Faulton Ranch – Far Outskirts of Austin, Texas…_ **

**_Six months after exploring the remains of the Axalon and Darkside in the cave in Davy Crockett National Forest…_ **

**_June 23 rd, 2005 11:10 AM_ **

**_Matt Faulton’s POV_ **

_I recall that evening on June 23 rd as if it was yesterday. Rattrap slept peacefully on the couch, as I watched him snooze from the recliner looking over my notes on my laptop. The TV was on quad split-screen with the international news on CNN, Fox, MSNBC and Newsmax with another Autobot/Decepticon battle aftermath. Andrew had taken Dinobot, Cheetor, and Optimus Primal out in the cornfield behind the house, as Dinobot wanted to train for a bit. I still am having trouble believing they are real… It seems like yesterday they were going by the temporary names we gave them, since some of their long-term memory circuits were burned out by who knows what. Some decided to stick with those temporary names, even after finding out their history on the starship’s computers, while others have decided to adopt the ones they found on the computers._

_Understandably, Indominus Rex, formally named Megatron, has decided that what happened to bring them to this state does not matter anymore. He does not care about the past, and only wants peace and freedom for both the Predacons and the Maximals. A refreshing change, no doubt about it. It is good to see him leave the feuds of the “Beast Wars” in the past, where they belong in my opinion. I’m also relieved he decided to reject his name and stick with the one I gave him. I took it as a good sign. Better that way, seeing as his original name came from a Cybertonian warmonger. Right now, Rex is sitting over with Tigertron, Tarantulas, Blackarachnia, Silverbolt, and Ironhorn, formally Rhinox. They are across from the couch looking over data we recovered from the ships’ computers on the multi-screen desktop tower computer terminal connected to the house’s local mainframe, with a jury-rigged jump drive we made to transfer the data we collected from the Avalon and Darkside._

_I hear the door open, and see Andrew walk in with Cheetor, Primal and Dinobot. They all look spent form training, and Dinobot seemed a bit irritated. He must have lost the spar to Primal again._

_“Don’t take it so close to heart,” Primal said. “You will get it in time.”_

_“It’s frustrating, though…” Dinobot growled. “According to those computer records, I was a great warrior. Now, I’m reduced to this pathetic skill level…”_

_I heard Rattrap stir from the couch, his optics lighting up. “Wha…?” He looked up and saw Dinobot, who was now his sparkmate, as they call it. Despite some friction between the two at first, they managed to become friends and eventually take to what they called, “Bonded” after they temporarily fused their sparks together. I did not get to see the full details of what this ensued, however as the Maximals and Predacons treat this sort of thing very privately. When I tried to look in when they were in this process, Primal stopped me and gave me a bit of a scolding as if I were some sort of peeping tom. After that it was obvious it is an intimate subject, as there is not a lot of data on in the ship computer library I could find. My closest theorization is that is their version of sex._

_Dinobot noticed Rattrap as he sat down next to him on the couch. “Rattrap, what are you doing still up?” Dinobot voiced concern despite his exhaustion. “It’s late, and after all that combing through the computer data we did combined with the hike to and from the cave, you need your recharge…” Dinobot referred to their version of sleep._

_Ratrrap snapped to. “Oh, bolts! What time is it?” He looked at the wall clock._

_“Very late. Past 23:00 hours.” Primal said using military time as he went out onto the front porch. I guess old habits die hard._

_Rattrap smiled as he saw the time. “But it’s still today. I got something for ya…” He nodded to Dinobot and got a box out from under the couch. I couldn’t help but smile. Despite being from the same planet as the Autobots and Decepticons I’ve heard so much about, they seemed so human._

_“Rattrap, with all due respect, please not now.” Dinobot said, rubbing the area of his forehead not covered by his helm. “I don’t have the energy for this…”_

_Rattrap, still with his cheesy grin handed Dinobot the box._

_“What’s this?” Dinobot asked._

_“Your Birthday, according to the data we recovered. Open it. See what’s inside.”_

_Dinobot reluctantly opened the small box. Inside was a digital military watch. Something that I helped Rattrap acquire for his sparkmate._

_“It’s an external chronometer.” Rattrap explained. “You said your internal one was damaged, and you kept losing track, so I figured you could use it. You like it?”_

_Dinobot was taken aback as he put the watch on. He looked at it carefully, admiring the design. “Rattrap, this is… I don’t’ know what to say! It is very nice, but… I’m not sure it’s working. The display seems to be frozen.”_

_“What? It can’t be, we just changed…” Rattrap looked at the watch and realized Dinobot was joking. He cracked an eye ridge. “Oh, ha ha. Very funny.” He playfully shoved him in the shoulder lightly, then lay back down on the couch._

_“How were you able to acquire this?” Dinobot asked with a smile, looking at Rattrap._

_Rattrap just grinned cheerily again. “Drugs. I sell hardcore drugs.” He said jokingly._

_Now it was Andrew’s turn to grin. “Really? Maybe then you could start helping out with the mortgage payments on the farm.”_

_“Yeah, you wish!” Rattrap said, understanding the joke._

_They sat for a while, watching the late-night news. Rattrap went into a deep recharge after thirty minutes as his optics dimmed again. By that time, Rex and Ironhorn, along with the majority of the Maximals and Predacons had called it a night by that point. Well, except for Primal. He was out on the front porch, looking at the stars. He seemed to have the most trouble with his recharge cycles. My guess was that he suffered from PTSD before… whatever happened that fried their memories, and that was why he did not sleep well. Dinobot looked over to Rattrap, as well as I. Dinobot stroked Rattrap’s helm a few times before picking up the sleeping Maximal into his arms._

_I turned to Dinobot as he went upstairs. “Good night.” I said before going to the kitchen. I got into the fridge, picking out a container of high-grade energon with a bottle of scotch and three glasses. Then I went out to join Primal on the patio, as he wasn’t the only insomniac._

_“Penny for your thoughts?” I asked as I sat down in one of the chairs, handing him a glass and pouring his energon with a shot of scotch. Primal seemed to like his Energon that way after giving it a try when we came back to the house the first week. Though Primal was a bit of a lightweight compared to Rex’s drinking._

_Primal sighed, taking a small swig of the cocktail. “Not sure you want mine, Professor. I am getting worried about current events after all I heard about the Autobot/Decepticon war. What if they find out about our existence? And if they did, what would we do? I don’t want my men to be forced to take sides in their conflict, and I do not doubt Indominus Rex is thinking the same thing.”_

_“That I agree with, Primal.” A voice said from the door. It was Rex. He walked out and took a seat in a vacant chair._

_“Good to hear,” Primal said as I poured Rex the same cocktail in a second glass and handed it to him. “Still, it doesn’t help to think about what would happen if we were found. Not just to us, but to Doctor Sairus and you, Professor… After all I have heard of the Autobots becoming a branch of the UN Peacekeepers just to get support to deal with the Deceptions, and how far the Deceptiocons are going to achieve their goal of domination… I could not bear it if we lost you both after all you have done for us. The thought wears on me.”_

_“Then don’t think about it, Primal.” Rex said. “Otherwise, it’ll drive you mad. Trust me, this is coming from someone who has experience with these things. At least, according to the logs on the computer data we found.” Rex took a sip of his energon cocktail. “Instead, let us think of how far we’ve come. From two warring factions to a final, peaceful unified group. All we must do now is find out if any of our crew capsules are still sealed and active after all this time. At least, that is something I worry about: If there are any other survivors like us. After all, we are not like the rest of the Cybertronians. After we assumed our beast modes, we became techno-organic, as the Professor puts it. Makes me wonder…”_

_Primal smiled. He always enjoyed how Indomius Rex now tried to look on the bright side of things. “That is an excellent point. Perhaps they have been in hiding all these years, assuming different modes to blend in, and to shield themselves from what was the abundance of energon back then.”_

_With that, we looked up at the sky from the patio. “I don’t think I have told you this, but I always enjoy looking at the stars. Each one a unique spark in a cloud of lights, like fireflies. I used to wonder if any carried life before me and Doctor Sairus discovered you after the Autobots and Decepticons revealed themselves. Now, I cannot help but wonder which one could be Cybertron…” I said as I poured myself a glass of scotch, seeing as humans didn’t drink liquid energon._

_“Indeed, indeed.” Rex took another sip, then held his glass up. “A toast, to friends and peace.”_

_Primal and I joined in the toast. “To friends and peace.”_

_I only wish that peace would have lasted…_

_Faulton Ranch_

_July 5 th, 2005 – 3:00 AM_

Rattrap and Dinobot stirred on their shared recharge berth as the phone rang.

“Who could that be at this hour?” Dinobot asked, half-asleep.

Rattrap reached for the phone and answered on speaker. “Faulton Residence?” He asked groggily.

“Rattrap! Oh, thank god it is you! It’s Andrew Sairus!” Doctor Sairus said on the other end of the line panicked. “Quick, see if Professor Faulton is awake! I need to talk to him, it’s about the Autobots and Decepticons!”

Rattrap slowly sat up with Dinobot. “Wha…? The Autobots and Decepticons? Doctor, what is going…?”

“There’s no time!” Sairus snapped. “Get Matt on the phone, I think we’ve been-”

The phone went dead with a busy signal shortly after.

Rattrap looked at the phone with Dinobot for a moment, then hung it up. They both lazily dragged themselves out of the berth and walked to the door of the room. They started to walk down the hallway when Dinobot picked up today’s edition of the USA Today newspaper off the nightstand. The headline: Autobot/Decepticon conflict reaches breaking point! Megatron launches offensive! New rumored Techno-organic discovery changes everything!

Dinobot tossed the paper back on the nightstand, paying little attention to it and joined Rattrap at the door to Professor Faulton’s room. Rattrap lightly knocked on it. “Matt? You awake?” He asked sleepily.

Silence except for the TV in the room blaring the local news. Rattrap slowly pushed the door open. “You in here, Matt?”

The room was empty. Professor Faulton was not in his bed. Out the window, you could see the outline of the city of Austin. Skyscrapers lit up with lights and wonder.

Dinobot turned towards the TV as he saw the local news anchor reporting on something live on location. That’s when they both heard her speak:

“According to our sources, the Autobots have setup defenses in city limits to secure it from the Decepticons as their scout teams continue to search for these rumored ‘Techno-organic’ Cybertronians that have been theorized to reside in the area. The urgency can clearly be felt as the National Guard and 31st Platoon have been deployed to help with preparation and defending the local power plant-”

At that moment, an F-16 jet flew over the reporter’s heads with a whoosh, and then one of the Autobots let out a yell, “It’s Starscream!”

“Lady get back! Back! Take cover!” One of the soldiers yelled, running forwards as the jet looped back around at full speed. Rattrap and Dinobot watched in horror as it unleashed a swarm of missiles on the power plant and its defenders! One went straight for the camera, and the TV instantly convulsed with static.

“By Primus!” Dinobot exclaimed. They then heard a loud boom outside and saw a large plume of smoke erupt from town as the skyscrapers went dark and the lights in the house flickered as backup power kicked in. Both Maximals were now jarred fully awake.

“…Matt?!” Rattrap hollered, now worried. He and Dinobot hastily stepped out of the room, running into a frightened Cheetor.

“What was that loud explosion?” Cheetor asked.

“I don’t know.” Dinobot said. “All I know now is that we need to find Professor Faulton…”

“Matt, are you in here?!” Rattrap called out. Still silence. He, Cheetor and Dinobot must have been the only ones in the house. They cautiously went down the stairs. Rattrap had not felt this uneasy since Faulton and Sairus first found them! The tension was thick in the air.

“What in the Matrix is going on?” Rattrap said, worried as they went into the kitchen, seeing a few police cars fly by on the road outside the window with lights and sirens. They heard a phone ring on vibrate a few times. Dinobot went over to the source of the noise on the counter. It was Matt Faulton’s phone. He looked at the screen.

“Eight missed calls… Three news texts. from Andrew Sairus?” Dinobot opened the texts on the phone and read them aloud. “Where the hell are you…? Call me? On my way?” He set the phone back down.

As soon as Dinobot set down the phone, the saw something running through the cornfield, the corn rustling rapidly. Dinobot opened the back door, sword ready for trouble, while Rattrap and Cheetor drew their guns.

Emerging from the corn in a full-blown run was Matt Fulton! Dinobot got out of the way as Fulton ran into the house, quickly closing the screen and sliding glass door behind them!  
  


“Dinobot! Rattrap! Cheetor! Oh, thank god, are all of you ok?” Fulton asked, short of breath as he walked into his study at a quick pace.

“…Yeah?” Cheetor answered. Rattrap and Dinobot nodded in confirmation as Matt rifled through the drawers of his desk. He retrieved a handgun case a short time later from the third drawer. Matt quickly unlocked it with the eight-digit code, his hands shaky.

“Has anybody else came in here?” Matt asked, opening the gun case. Rattrap recognized the gun inside, as well as the ammo: it was a bull-nosed 44 caliber revolver with armor-piercing rounds!

“No, who would come in here besides you and Doctor Sairus?” Rattrap asked.

Matt paid the question little heed as he started loading the 44 and put the extra bullets in his breast pocket. “Just… Just don’t go near the doors or windows, get back behind the desk, stay in cover!”  
“What’s going on?” Cheetor asked.

“Matt, your kinda freaking us out…” Rattrap added in.

“It’s the Coopers…” Matt said referring to their neighbors across the field as he finished loading the 44 and unlocked the pin for the safety, on the verge of full-blown panic. “I think… I think they found out about you guys… and they told someone the really shouldn’t have.”

“Told who?” Cheetor asked.

At that moment, what appeared to be a soot-black metallic panther lunged at the sliding glass door, cracking the double-pane glass on impact! Dinobot motioned for Cheetor and Rattrap to get behind him as they went for the exit of the room, the panther scratching through the mesh of the screen, and continuing to ram the glass!

After a few more tries, it broke through! Matt trained the gun on the creature, as It turned at looked at Matt and the Maximals he was protecting!

The panther then transformed! Into a bipedal robot mode, the Decepticon insignia on his chest, drawing two blasters from a compartment. “Matt Fulton, a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Call me Ravage. In the name of the Decepticon Apaxia and Lord Megatron, you and these Techno-Organics are under arrest. Come quietly, and you won’t be harmed.”

Fulton stood his ground, pulling back the hammer on the 44. “We’re not going anywhere with you, Ravage! Turn around and walk away.”

Ravage laughed. “You are not in a position to tell me what to do. But since you want to make this difficult…” He fired a few shots at Fulton who dove behind the desk, Ravage barely grazing it with a laser blast! Dinobot jumped in at once, swinging his sword at Ravage, knocking him back into the wall. Ravage was not phased as he got up.

“Ravage, I am warning you! Stay back!” Fulton wared as he got out of cover and in between Ravage and Rattrap, his aim trained on the Decepticon. Ravage, ignoring the warning, hunched down to lunge at the human with a roar! Matt Fulton had no choice but to fire, the shot tore straight through Ravage’s cranial area into his brain module! Lubricants, coolant, and processed energon flying from ruptured and even broken lines! It splattered on the walls, and all over the Professor! Ravage’s spark ceased pulsing shortly after he fell to the floor, energon and oil pooling beneath him.

“Thank god for amor-piercing rounds…” Fulton muttered, taking a stunned Rattrap by the arm and guiding him into the living room while ushering the others in as well.

Rattrap was in disbelief. “You shot him… Without hesitation…”

Fulton then stood in front of the three Maximals, gripping Rattrap’s shoulder. “All of you, listen to me very carefully: It’s not safe here anymore. Both the Autobots and Decepticons are onto us, and you. We need to make a break for it. Andrew has the others in the schoolie loaded up with the others at the bridge near the county line. He, Primal and Rex are on their way to pick us up, we need to go now! Do you understand me?”

All of the them nodded, Rattrap shakily. They saw headlights outside in the front driveway.

“That’s Andrew, come on!” Matt and the group then rushed out to the front to see Andrew in the driveway in his Jeep Grand Cherokee with Primal and Rex.

“Where have you _been?!_ ” Andrew snapped. “Do you have any idea what’s going on downtown?”

“I got some ‘notion.” Matt said as he and the others piled into the Jeep. That’s when Andrew noticed the Energon and oil splattered all over Matt’s skin and clothes as he got into the front passenger seat.

“Holy shit!” Andrew exclaimed. “You’re… you’re covered in their blood-”

“It ‘aint from any of ours, can we go?” Matt snapped, uneasy and impatient. Andrew decided not to argue and started the Jeep. He reversed out of the driveway and got onto the road.

Rattrap was unsettled. But then again, they all were.

“You gonna tell me what happened?” Andrew said bluntly.

“Later.” Matt said flatly.

“…Can we turn on the radio?” Cheetor managed to ask after a pause.

“Sure, no prob.” Andrew said in a friendly tone, trying to set them at ease. He clicked the power button on the radio. Static. He scanned the entire FM and AM bands. There was nothing.

“Shit. No radio, no cell phone… Yeah, we’re doing great.” Andrew said with sarcasm. “Minute ago, newsman wouldn’t shut up…”

“Just stay focused.” Primal said. “Lose your cool and all of us may end up dead.”

“Anything we missed before they went silent?” Matt asked.

“Army’s put up roadblocks along the interstate with checkpoints, issued an evac order,” Andrew said. “They don’t want civie casualties.”

Matt thought quick. “If they blocked off the interstate, we’ll have to use the backroads, take 71 up to 281.”

“That’s where I’m headed.” Andrew said.

“…Did they say how many are dead?” Rattrap asked after driving a few minutes. “From the jet attack?”

“Probably a lot.” Andrew said. “They estimate the military casualties were at least 107 before the Autobots got backup. This one guy lost his legs, another was blown to bits…”

“Andrew!” Matt said. “Not now!”

After about thirty minutes of driving, they got to 281. Unfortunately, it was completely packed.

“Dammit! Everyone and their mother must have had the same idea!” Andrew slapped the steering wheel in frustration.

Suddenly, a mechanical pterosaur and a military jet flew overhead. They started firing on the cars in the road. Avoiding civie casualties was not an option anymore.

“Andrew, turn us around! Get us the fuck out of here, now!” Matt snapped.

Andrew threw the car in reverse and spun around onto a dirt road as people ran every which way. Andrew had to do some creative maneuvering to make it through, but the jet spotted them as it flew by! It started to turn around for another attack run!

“Jesus Christ, Andrew! It’s right on top of us, get us the fuck out of here!” Matt yelled.

“I’m trying! I can’t just drive through ‘em, Matt!” Andrew yelled back as he tried to drive around the civilians.

“Then back up and find a different way!”

“They’re behind me, too!”

“Just do _something_ before we’re sidewalk sushi!”

“For Primus’ sake, Matt!” Primal snapped viciously. “Quit yelling at Andrew and let him drive, or we’ll never get out of here in one piece!”

They started to get back onto a paved road after dodging all the civies, taking a path around some old grain elevators and went across some train tracks. They were now at an intersection for another highway. Andrew gunned the Jeep’s engine. It seemed they would be home free from there.

Then a truck broadsided the Jeep.

Everyone was disoriented for a moment as their vision returned. Matt looked up and saw the Jeep was on it’s side. People were running everywhere as the jet above continued to dive bomb the civilians. He then noticed the Pterosaur was above them, and a large Decepticon was approaching.

“Everyone okay?” Andrew managed to ask after Matt kicked out the windshield. Everyone got out with mainly scrapes and bruises, except for Rattrap. He let out a yell of pain when he tried to stand and had to lean on Dinobot.

“My leg strut… It’s damaged bad, I can’t stand on it!” Rattrap said.

The Decepticon got closer. It opened it is chest like a tape player. “Rumble, eject! Operation: Pursue and Detain!”

A smaller deception then was jettisoned from the large one, right in front of them.

“We need to run!” Matt drew his 44 from his waistband and Andrew got a shotgun from the Jeep’s gunrack. “Leg it, people!”

Dinobot scooped up Rattrap in his arms, and everyone ran. They weaved their way through panicked crowds as they went into a small industrial complex. After a while of running this way and that, avoiding an exploding gas station and many panicked drivers crashing into each other, they found a building with a door. Andrew kicked it open as they ran in. Rex and Primal barricaded the door, just as Rumble started to try and break through it.

“GO!” Primal shouted. “Don’t worry about us, we got this!”

“But…” Matt started.

“YOU HAVE RATTRAP AND THE OTHERS! GET OUT OF HERE, WE’LL CATCH UP!” Rex yelled.

There was no arguing. Matt kicked down a door to the outside, and they saw the bridge.

“Come on, we’re almost there!” They ran until the jet appeared in front of them. The jet transformed into a Decepticon with a cackle. It was Starscream.

“Leaving so soon? I think not!” Starscream said. “Either you come with us whole or in pieces!”

“Leave us alone!” Matt shot the 44 at one of Starscream’s optics, shattering it. Starscream howled in pain as they ran once more.

“You’ll pay for that!” Starscream yelled, shooting at them with his machine guns. He hit everyone at least once, causing them to fall. Dinobot dropped Rattrap in the barrage!

Starscream hovered over Matt. “Little whelp. You should have thought twice before-”

Then there was a laser beam piercing through Starscream’s chest, followed by explosive cannon fire! Starscream was blown to bits!

Matt and Andrew looked up, and saw Primal and Rex! They ran forward, helping everyone to their feet. Then they saw Dinobot and Rattrap.

“Oh no…” Rex whispered as his optics saw Rattrap. Dinobot looked as well. Rattrap had been hit in a vital energon line in the torso, near his fuel tank! He lay there, whimpering in pain.

“Rattrap?!” Dinobot rapidly was at his sparkmate’s side. “Hang on, Rattrap! Hang on, I’m going to try and stop the bleeding, move your hands…” He put pressure on the wound, trying to get the energon to clot as Rattrap let out sharp yelps and wimpers of pain, grasping onto Dinobot’s arms for dear life. “I know, it hurts, I know. Just hang on, we’re getting you out of here.” He started to carefully lift Rattrap as he continued to let out sounds of pain and protest. “I know, it hurts, just hang on! I got you!” Dinobot was on the verge of tears, lifting his broken partner.

Then Rattrap went silent. His optics dimmed to darkness, and his body went limp.

“Rattrap?” Dinobot spoke. “Rattrap stay with me! Rattrap?!” He gently shook Rattrap’s now lifeless body, trying to wake him up. “Don’t do this to me, partner, don’t do this…. Oh, god…” He knelt, clutching Rattrap’s frame holding him close. “No, don’t do this to me! No, no, no please… Oh god, Primus Please!” Dinobot started sobbing, tears of oil running down his faceplate. “Primus, please don’t do this to me…” He sobbed, breaking down. “Please, primus please, no… Please…”

  
_**TO BE CONTINUED...** _


	2. Rescue

**_Chapter 2_ **

**_Rescue_ **

****

Dinobot silently wept as he held Rattrap close to him. Everyone watched on, time standing still for a few moments.

No one got much time to grieve, however. A few seconds later, a rush of air blew through the area as another Jet flew low over them, then transformed! It was another Decepticon similar to Starscream, accompanied by three more in robot mode! One was colored a cold steel gray, with a blue one at his side! The third was colored metallic purple! Matthias recognized one of them as their pursuer from earlier that commanded Rumble!

Rex and Primal assumed fighting stances, ready to defend when a barrage of laser and gun fire came from the far left, striking all the Decepticons before anything could be said! The ones that fired those shots, from what Matthias and Andrew could see, were Autobots! The Decepticons’ sworn enemies! The group of six Autobots were being led by a blue-and-red Freightliner over-cab semi, as it changed to robot mode and joined the fray, concentrating his fire on the gray Decepticon!

“Blast!” The grey Decepticon shouted. “Prime, your timing is ever incorrigible! Decepticons, fall back!” ‘

The Decepticons all retreated from the area, the Autobots driving them off as Prime holstered his blaster, walking up with a smaller, yellow Autobot that changed from a VW Beetle, as well as one that changed from a Onebox Ambulance.

“Ratchet,” Prime spoke, looking at Dinobot and Rattrap. “Can he be revived?”

The Onebox transformer’s eyes lit up as he looked at Rattrap, clearly scanning him. “His systems are still fresh. His spark can be restarted, but the energon leak will need patched ASAP.”

Prime looked at the professors, as well as Primal and Rex. “You are the techno-organics that the Decepticons have been seeking. I am Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots. We bear you no ill will, and we wish to help you. Your comrade can be revived, but we must act quickly. I understand if you do not trust us, but if your friend is going to survive, we must be able to look past that. Will you let us help you?”

Andrew and Matthias looked at each other. “I don’t see that we have much of a choice.” Andrew spoke.

“True.” Mattias agreed, giving Optimus Prime a suspicious side-glance. “I just don’t want our friends being used for experiments or research. Or worse, cannon fodder. The final choice is up to you guys, though.” Matthias turned to Primal and Rex. “Whichever choice you make, we will stick by your side. You have our word.” Andrew nodded in agreement.

Rex and Primal looked at each other for a few seconds, processing everything quickly. Then they nodded. “We will accept your help, Optimus Prime.” Primal said. “We will have to work out details later. Right now, Rattrap’s revival and everyone’s well-being is a priority. We need to get out of here.”

“Agreed.” Andrew said. “The rest of us are waiting in a modified school bus over near that bridge.”

Optimus nodded. “Then we must make haste!”

With that, all the Autobots transformed into vehicle mode. Prime opened his cab door. “Get in. We will rendezvous with your school bus and the others, then take you to our base. Dinobot and Rattrap will need to go with Ratchet first, as his holoform can help to begin the revival process.”

“Very well.” Rex said. Dinobot carried Rattrap over to Ratchet, and got into his cab. A few minutes later, he came out with Rattrap, who was alive! He was hooked to a small, tank-like machine, though. Dinobot was in tears of joy, that time.

“Ratchet says that Rattrap will be okay for now, but he will need further repair back at their base. We should try not to move him too much until then.” Dinobot got into Optimus’ cab with Rex, Primal, Andrew, and Matthias.

As Matthias got into the cab last, he saw that Optimus’ interior had the appearance of a semi built to go the distance. Aside from the driver’s bucket seat, there was a captain’s seat and passenger bench seat for up to two adults, as well as a bench in the back that converted to a bed. In the driver’s area, there was a multi-mode radio above the windshield that could use both the HAM and CB bands. All the seats were complete with seat belts and were well-cushioned. Sitting in the driver’s seat was a middle-age man in black jeans and a red leather jacket, wearing reflective red sunglasses, his hair and trimmed beard dyed the same blue as Optimus’ paint. That must have been his holoform, Andrew thought.

“Holoform or not, move over!” Matthias said in a non-negotiable tone. “You can drive, Optimus, but I’m sitting in the driver’s seat, and I’m not taking ‘no’ for an answer! Until you earn my trust, I am watching everything, and I will make sure our friends are safe!”

Optimus’ holoform unbuckled and moved to the back for Matthias to sit down, not even arguing or saying a word with a neutral expression. Optimus and Rex buckled into the bench passenger seat, Primal sitting next to the window. Andrew buckled into the rotating captain’s chair, while Dinobot settled on the convertible bed with Rattrap, Optimus’ holoform sitting near the edge at the foot of the bed.

Optimus started to drive, going towards the bridge as the steering wheel and shift levers moved on their own. Matthias kept one hand loosely on the wheel, making it appear as if he was driving, while taking the radio’s mike in his hand. “Davidson calling School Bus, repeat: Davidson calling School Bus! The rest of us our on the way to the rendezvous, but we have friendly company. Come back.”

A few seconds later, there was a response. “Davidson, this is School Bus. We read you.” Ironhorn’s voice said on the other end. “Is everyone okay? Also, what kind of friendly company are you talking about?”

Matthias sighed, the responded. “We’re all here, but Rattrap’s been hurt. We were ambushed by a bunch of Decepticons when we were on route but were saved by some of the Autobots. They have helped to stabilize Rattrap, but he will need further repair at their base. We’re approaching the rendezvous in a red and blue Freightliner, accompanied by a Yellow VW Beetle and a Red Onebox Ambulance. We will be there in a few minutes. Once we pull up, Andrew will board the schoolie and drive it. We will all be traveling as a convoy back to the base. Dinobot and Rattrap will have to stay with Prime, due to his injuries, but don’t worry. I’ll stay by his side for the journey.”

“So will I.” Rex said.

“I will, too.” Prime echoed.

“Roger.” Ironhorn said. “We will see you when you get here. School Bus out.”

A few minutes later, they arrived at the bridge. Andrew switched over to the schoolie, while Optimus’ holoform settled in the vacant captain’s chair. A short time later, they were all on the road again, the schoolie surrounded protectively by the Autobot convoy, Optimus Prime leading the group.

The hours ticked by, as the inky darkness of the sky faded while the Sun started to rise. Dinobot and Rattrap had slipped into recharge after the first half-hour, the raptor holding his sparkmate close in his arms on the bed. Primal and Indominus Rex dozed off as they sat in the bench seat two hours later. But Matthias did not rest. He willed himself not to sleep, keeping a steady eye on the road as they switched between busy interstates and highways, along with isolated backroads and scenic byway routes.

“Matthias, with all due respect, you should rest.” Optimus finally said through his holoform, voicing his concern. “You have not slept since we started driving, and that was six Earth hours ago. You also have not consumed any nutritional substance either when we have been able to stop at refueling stations. Even Andrew has alternated between him and Ironhorn when driving your schoolie-”

“Optimus, please.” Mattias said flatly, his tone grained with irritability. “Your concern is noted, but I’m not taking a break. Not until we get back to your base, and I know everyone is safe.”

“You _need_ rest, Mattias.” Optimus spoke up again, his tone more commanding.

“And I just told you, I will rest when I know my techno-organic friends are safe, not before.” Matthias’ grained tone became more abrasive with defiance.

Optimus didn’t back down. “Professor Faulton, I understand your concern and distrust, but you will not do your friends any good if you don’t have any energy to defend them, nonetheless keep an eye on them.”

Matthias slapped a hand on the steering wheel in frustration. “Jesus Christ, Optimus! Are you suddenly taking authority as my father, now?!” He shot Optimus’ holofrom an irritated leer.

“I would never consider such an action.” Optimus replied, his holoform’s expression remaining calm and neutral, as well as his tone. “But I feel I must advise you to take the best course of action. I understand that you and Andrew want to protect Primal, Rex, and the others under their wings. You both care for them deeply, and do not want them to be harmed. I can also understand your distrust, but we mean none of you ill will. To be blunt, if we did intend harm, we would have had plenty of opportunities to do so after driving off the Decepticons.”

Matthias looked at Optimus’ holoform with weary eyes, then finally caved. “Fine. I’ll take a break, and at the next gas station I’ll get something to eat and drink when we get there.” Matthias unbuckled his seat belt, stood up and walked back to the bed. “You have the wheel.”

Optimus’ holoform then sat and buckled into the driver’s seat, taking over seamlessly while Matthias settled down on the bed next to Dinobot and Rattrap, falling into a deep sleep as Optimus dimmed the cab’s windows with adjustable tint so they could sleep.

**_TO BE CONTINUED..._ **


End file.
